DRDO to hand over first sonar dome to defence minister at Defexpo

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar will hand over the sonar dome, designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to the naval forces on 29 March.

A DRDO laboratory based in Pune developed the sonar dome - a protective cover for sonar equipment of surface warships - and the first state-of-the-art technology developed for protecting sonar equipment of surface warships.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will flag off a huge bow mounted Sonar Dome designed and developed by DRDO at a ceremony to be held at Defexpo site in Goa on 29 March 2016. The sonar dome will be delivered to Mazgaon Docks, Mumbai.

The Defexpo is being held at Quitol, Goa, the first time the mega event is being hosted outside Delhi.

The sonar dome, a first of its kind in the country, has been manufactured by a composites manufacturing company in India.

''This is a huge contribution by Indian Industry to the 'Make in India' movement. Only a couple of companies worldwide have the capability of realising such structures,'' says a defence ministry release.

All anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships have a sonar array fitted to the ship structure below the waterline. The sonar functions as the ship's underwater eyes and ears. The sonar dome is a structure fitted over the sonar array so that its electronics and sensors are not exposed to surrounding hostile environment. The sonar dome has to be structurally sound as well as acoustically transparent.

R&DE (E), DRDO Pune has successfully developed the process technologies to realise large composite structures that can be used in naval ships and submarines. The laboratory has also developed technologies related Integral composite armour that can be used in combat vehicles. The laboratory is also significantly contributing in development of aerospace structures.

NPOL, a DRDO laboratory at Kochi played a significant role in development of the sonar dome.

DRDO has already developed composite material technologies relevant to Indigenously developed missiles. DRDO is also fielding live demonstration of number of systems with cutting edge technologies for the first time in Defexpo.

The ninth edition of Defexpo India, a biennial exhibition on land, naval and internal homeland security systems, is being organised by the Defence Exhibition Organisation of the defence production department under the ministry of defence from 28 to 31 March at Naqueri Quitol, Quepem taluka and Goa.

The exhibition would be showcasing India's capabilities in land, naval and security systems as well as its emergence as an attractive destination for investment in defence sector.

The event will provide private sector and other defence related industries to demonstrate their capability to design, develop and deliver a wide range of military and civil products/services besides providing a platform for forging alliances and joint ventures in the defence industry.